If Not Now, When?

I’ve had an epiphany. I can’t believe I hadn’t thought of this before now. Our properties are going through the Due Diligence phase of a sale. The new proposed Owners keep scheduling walk throughs with their vendors, with management company execs, with contractors, and, what is so bothersome for me, is that the onsite teams are never included. Sure, we can send a Manager or a Maintenance Tech or Supervisor but their only role is to open doors. 

Recently, they came with a contractor and the management company’s Acquisition and Operations people and brought their sample boards. They walked around and discussed moving the leasing offices elsewhere, create a business center area here, and place the game room items there. But they did not include anyone onsite in their conversations. It was at that moment that I realized why I have such a problem with the Sale Process. It really isn’t that the properties are being sold; it’s that the properties are moving forward without any input from the current team.

When new owners, even those who plan to keep the onsite team in place, exclude the team on these visits, it is as though they are saying, “Thank you for being here today and performing your duties, but we don’t need any of your input. Your opinion does not matter. Carry on!” 

If their opinion does not matter now, will it ever in the future?